1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to job stream programmer apparatus for increasing the productivity of a copier having a feeder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Often there is a queueing problem at a copier. This problem can be illustrated by the example where there is a single copier which has a dedicated operator. As customers arrive they form a line or queue. For high production runs, copiers are often provided with a sorter to produce collated copy sets. However, an undesirable amount of operator time is required to unload the sorter bins. During this unloading time the copier is idle. One relatively effective means of reducing copier idle time has been by using a recirculating feeder. In one type of a recirculating feeder, a multi-sheet document is inserted into the feeder tray and the document sheets are circulated from the bottom of the document to an exposure platen copied and then circulated back to the top of the document until the desired number of collated copies of the document are produced without a sorter accessory. This, of course, helps to reduce copier idle time which occurs when an operator unloads a sorter. Frequently, when the operator is receiving information from a customer about his production run, the copier is idle or waiting for operating instructions. Even with this type of recirculating feeder, situations still exist where a copier is idle and customers are waiting. To minimize queuing, another service person may be provided to take copying instructions and help unload completed jobs during the peak demand periods, or alternatively another copier may be added. Either of these two approaches can significantly increase operating costs.
Another type of apparatus which may produce collated copy set without the need for a sorter accessory is shown in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 18, No. 12 (May, 1976). In this apparatus, a plurality of movable document receiving bins are provided. Two bins are assigned to each document. An operator inserts the document to be copied into the first such bin, and this bin is moved to a feeding position. Document sheets are fed seriatim to a copier exposure platen copied, and then returned to the second bin. If the document is to be copied again, the second bin is moved to the feeding position, and the document sheets are again fed seriatim to the copier exposure platen. These document sheets are returned to the first bin. This process is repeated until the desired number of copies of the document are made. With this approach, the document sheets are fed along extended document sheet paths in their travel to and from receiving bins, with an attendant likelihood of document sheet jams.